Chinese Calendar dates

bats wishing good fortune and long life

There are many, joyous Chinese Festivals that are celebrated throughout the year. A number of the festivals follow the old Chinese calendar rather than the western (Gregorian) calendar. The old calendar was based on the moon so just as with the Christian Easter, some festivals fall on different days each year. The Chinese jié qì solar calendar has been used for farming as the date of sowing, reaping needs to keep step with the sun rather than the moon. For an explanation of how the Chinese calendar works please visit our Chinese Calendar section. In recent years some festivals have been moved to a Monday or Friday to give a three day weekend. The mixture of moveable and fixed, modern and ancient create a complex pattern of public holidays.

Dates of major Chinese Festivals in the next 12 months

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4th April 2024 Bright and Clear Festival (Qīngmíng 清明)
10th June 2024 Dragon Boat Festival (Duānwǔjié 端午节)
10th August 2024 Chinese Valentine’s Day (Qīxìjié 七夕节)
17th September 2024 Mid Autumn Festival (Zhōngqiūjié 中秋节)
1st October 2024 National day (Guó qìng jié 国庆节)
11th November 2024 Singles day (Guāng gùn jié 光棍节)
29th January 2025 Chinese New Year - Spring Festival (Chūnjié 春节)
12th February 2025 Lantern Festival (Yuánxiāojié 元宵节)

Festivals reflect the mixed religious traditions in China. Some of the festivals honor more than one religion, others mark the passage of the seasons. Back in dynastic history there were no weekends or days of rest, so festivals were the only holidays and that is why there are so important. All these dates are for the current year (2024) or the following year. The festivals are shown in the order they occur over a full 12 months and is updated everyday. They are also shown on our Chinese Calendar which shows all the official public holidays.

Chinese Festivals

Wednesday 20th March 2024 - Vernal Equinox (Chūnfēn 春分) [Jieqi fortnight]

Thursday 21st March 2024

Flower Festival (Huā zhāo jié )

The traditional Flower Festival is held on the twelfth day of the second lunar month. The great Tang Empress Wu Zetian is associated with this minor festival which celebrates the birthday of the god of flowers. It roughly marks the time of the first flowers of Spring. It is also a good day to plant up the garden ready for summer.

Thursday 28th March 2024

Birthday of Guanyin (Guàn yīn dàn )

Hainan, Guanyin, Sanya, deity
Statue of Guanyin (Guanshiyin or Avalokitesvara), Goddess of Mercy, Sanya, Hainan

The most revered of Buddhist Bodhisattvas is Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy who intercedes on behalf of any who pray to her. Her birthday is traditionally marked by a minor festival on the 19th of the second lunar month. One of the holiest places sacred to her is on Putuo Island, Zhejiang where there is a huge statue looking out East over the ocean.

Wednesday 3rd April 2024

Cold Food Festival (Hán shí jié 寒食节)

Cold Food day commemorates the story of Jie Zitui a loyal and humble servant at the time of the Spring and Autumn Period. The servant is supposed to have cut off part of his own thigh to offer sustenance to his starving master. Jie Zitui shunned rewards and fled to a mountain with his mother, he was pursued by an angry prince and only resisted burning down Jie's house after reading a pleading poem written in blood. To mark the event no fires are lit and all food is served cold. More practically it marks the time when the fires used continuously for heating over the winter are put out and the all the ashes cleared away - so there is no fire available for cooking. It is a minor festival held on the eve of Qing Ming . As the events took place in Shanxi province it is mainly there that the festival is celebrated.

Thursday 4th April 2024

Bright and Clear Festival (Qīngmíng )

Traditionally the family's tombs in the ancestral graveyard are cleaned and swept at Qing Ming with fresh offerings laid out for the ancestors. Candles are lit and incense burned. Paper images of various goods and also money may be ritually burned to pass-over to the ancestors. When the extended family leaves the graveyard fire-crackers are often set off. It is the time to sow and plant crops and so is anchored to the solar year rather than the lunar year; this makes it falls between April 4th and April 6th. It marks the start of Spring and is associated with kite flying and a good day for a picnic in the countryside. It has similarities to the Christian Easter Spring festival in that eggs are prepared and eaten. In some areas boys wore willow wreathes on their heads to summon rain for the growing season.

Dates : Wed Apr 5 2023  Thu Apr 4 2024  Fri Apr 4 2025  

Thursday 11th April 2024

Shangsi Festival (Shàngsìjié )

Celebrated on the 3rd day of the 3rd Lunar month, Shangsi was traditionally a day for cleaning the house and going away on an outing. It is not an official holiday in China. The festival marks the birthday of the Queen Mother of the West (Xi Wangmu), a leading Daoist deity and the festival is also known as the Banquet of Peaches of Immortality. The day is associated with many folk beliefs concerning the opening of portals between the living and the dead. The founding Yellow Emperor is also believed to have had his birthday on this day. Sticky rice cakes called baba 粑粑 are sometimes eaten.

Dates : Sat Apr 22 2023  Thu Apr 11 2024  Mon Mar 31 2025  

Saturday 13th April 2024

Water Splashing Festival (Pō shuǐ jié )

The Dai people of Yunnan people have great fun getting very wet on April 13th each year. It commemorates victory over a water demon that had kidnapped seven young sisters. There are very many festivals specific to particular minority people, this is one of the best known through documentaries on television.

water splashing,Dai people
Friday 19th April 2024 - Corn Rain (Gǔyǔ 谷雨) [Jieqi fortnight]

Tuesday 23rd April 2024

Birthday of the God of Wealth (Zhào gōngmíng )

God of Money, poster
Chinese Lunar New Year money god poster in Hong Kong. Image by Mk2010 available under a Creative Commons license

If you want to become more prosperous then making the appropriate offerings to the God of Wealth (Zhao Gongming) or God of Money (Cai Shen) on his birthday could do the trick. This birthday is marked on the 15th day of the third lunar month of the traditional calendar. He is often depicted with an iron club and riding a black tiger. There are various conflicting legends concerning his life which dates back before the Qin dynasty. You will often see sculptures of toads associated with him as these are also denote riches. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

Wednesday 1st May 2024

Labor day (Láo dòng jié )

A modern international holiday marks the toil of workers on 1st May in many countries. It is a one day holiday in China reflecting the socialist/communist history of the PRC. These new festivals like Labor Day were introduced when the PRC was founded but have gradually given way to the older, traditional ones, three whole days used to be allocated but this has been reduced to just one day since 2008.

Saturday 4th May 2024

Youth Day (Qīng nián jié )

Commemorates the activity of young people on May 4th 1919 that went on to form the Chinese Communist Party and then the People's Republic of China in 1949. It also marks the foundation of the influential May 4th movement. It is not a public holiday.

Sunday 5th May 2024 - Summer begins (Lìxià Summer 立夏) [Jieqi fortnight]

Monday 20th May 2024

I Love You Day (Wǔ èr líng )

Rather like Single's day the day 5.20 (20th May) has become an excuse among the young for another Valentine's day. It is all because the number 520 in Chinese can sound vaguely like wǒ ài nǐ ‘I love you’. So if you can’t wait until Valentine's day there is now another day to pledge your love and get engaged. Only popular in cities.

Monday 20th May 2024 - Corn Forms (Xiǎomǎn 小满) [Jieqi fortnight]

Saturday 1st June 2024

Childrens day (Liù yī ér tóng jié )

A recent holiday specifically for children under 14 was created under the PRC to be held each year on 1st June. Admission to cinemas is free and presents are given to children.

Wednesday 5th June 2024 - Corn in Ear (Mángzhòng 芒种) [Jieqi fortnight]

Monday 10th June 2024

Dragon Boat Festival (Duānwǔjié )

The highpoint of the sun's journey at the Summer Solstice marks the start of the warmest season, but also the gradual reduction in length of days. It is celebrated as the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth month which often falls near the summer solstice. As well as procuring rain from the water controlling dragons for the summer crops, it commemorates the life of Qu Yuan (340-278 BCE), an incorruptible public official and famous poet who drowned himself in defiance of false accusations maliciously made against him. Many boats went out in search for his body and from this legend, dragon boat races take place throughout the world.

Dragon boat festival, Foshan, Guangdong, people
A dragon boat race at Foshan, Guangdong. 2011 Copyright © Dreamstime see image license

Pyramid-shaped rice cakes zòng zi and garlic suàn are associated with this festival, some are fed to the fish on the basis that they would then leave Qu Yuan's body alone. Two teams of 15-30 people race each other in boats (around 66 feet [20 meters] long) with a decorated dragon prow. One person stands and beats the drum to set the rhythm for the rowers. Sometimes the races are held in the evening with the boats lit by red lanterns. It is only recently (2008) that this has once again become an official public holiday. Hong Kong is well known for the large number of races that take place each year. The fifth month is generally regarded as the most unlucky month and charms were used to keep the bad influence at bay, for example with pictures of Zhong Kui or putting iris flowers over the door. Stems and leaves of the herb mugwort or calamus were made into figure shapes and hung from the lintel to keep away pests and diseases. Traditionally Realgar wine (containing Arsenic sulfide) was drunk to kill off internal parasites and infections. It was also one of the few days of financial settlement in a year - debts were paid off and accounts settled.

Video not visible
YouTube video of Dragon Boat race in China

Dates : Thu Jun 22 2023  Mon Jun 10 2024  Sat May 31 2025  

Tuesday 18th June 2024

Rain Festival (Yǔ jié )

Rain is essential for crops and so a minor festival, the Rain Festival is associated with bringing rain on the 13th of the fifth month. Ceremonies wish for just the right quantity of rain, not too little and not too much. Like St. Swithin's day , the absence of rain on this day may presage a drought. There are many gods of rain and legends about them and the Dragon Boat festival was originally about rain. As rain is associated with dragons they feature prominently in such tales including the Jinlong Si Dawang (Golden Dragon King). It is not a public holiday.

Friday 21st June 2024 - Summer Solstice (Xiàzhì 夏至) [Jieqi fortnight]

Saturday 6th July 2024

Half Year Festival (Bàn nián jié )

The half way point of the lunar calendar year falls on the 1st day of the 6th month, and it is a time to reflect on the year so far. Mainly celebrated in southern China, the Half Year Festival is a small echo of the New Year Festival, with fire crackers, zong zi (glutinous rice) and family get-togethers. According to legend in Jiashanwu Village near Hangzhou a long drought was ended by the efforts of a mysterious old man. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

Saturday 6th July 2024 - Moderate heat (Xiǎoshǔ 小暑) [Jieqi fortnight]

Thursday 11th July 2024

Clothes Drying Day (Shài yī jié )

When the sun’s heat reaches its full power this minor festival is the occasion to lay out anything that needs drying in the sun. Clothes, bedding, papers and grain are some of the things that can benefit from a thorough airing and drying in the sun. Clothes Drying Day takes place on the sixth day of sixth month. The legend is that the Dragon King, ruler of water, spent this day drying his scales. Another tale is that it was the day when the Buddhist scriptures that were being carried into China in the 'Journey to the West' were laid out to dry and so temples used to bring out the scriptures for a good airing. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

Monday 22nd July 2024 - Great heat (Dàshǔ 大暑) [Jieqi fortnight]

Thursday 1st August 2024

Army day (Jiàn jūn jié )

A recently instituted half-day holiday for military personnel is held on the 1st August each year. The date commemorates the Nanchang uprising of August 1st 1927 when the Communist forces for the first time formed an effective army unit which routed the Guomindang forces that occupied the city of Nanchang. Many of the communist military leaders went on to take part in the Long March and then the establishment of the People's Republic.

army, people, PRC
Students doing military training , Shandong Polytechnic University, Jinan Copyright © Dreamstime see image license

Sunday 4th August 2024

Ghost Gate Opens (Guǐ mén kāi )

The seventh month of the traditional Chinese calendar is associated with ghosts. The Hungry Ghost festival in the middle of the seventh month is the main festival but some people also mark the start of the month - Ghost Gate. The ghost month is considered unlucky, spirits wander around for the whole month and so new projects, marriages and enterprises should not be started. One superstition of relevance is to avoid sticking chopsticks vertically into the ricebowl as this invites in the ghosts. It is a minor festival and not a public holiday.

Wednesday 7th August 2024 - Autumn begins (Lìqiū 立秋) [Jieqi fortnight]

Saturday 10th August 2024

Chinese Valentine’s Day (Qīxìjié )

This festival has its origins as a festival for women, honoring Zhinu , a weaver, who was separated by the gods from her husband, Niulang a cowherd. She spent this one dry night with her husband by following a bridge made by magpies. The husband and wife are the stars Vega and Altair and the bridge is the Milky Way. It is held on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month and nowadays it is marked by exchanging gifts between sweethearts. On the preceding day people used to follow various customs to foretell their future. Also traditional games were played to test the dexterity of girls in deference to Zhinu - the skilled weaver. It was also said to be the day when the Daoist immortal the Queen Mother of West visited the Emperor. In some regions it is also associated with lanterns and guiding spirits as it falls within the Ghost month. Nowadays is more like the western Valentine's Day - couples give each other presents to show their enduring affection.

Dates : Tue Aug 22 2023  Sat Aug 10 2024  Fri Aug 29 2025  

Sunday 18th August 2024

Hungry Ghost (Yúlánpén )

This festival is held on the 15th day (full moon) of the 7th lunar (ghost) month. It is also known as the mid-year festival ( zhōng yuán jié). Traditionally the sufferings of ancestors are appeased by making offerings of food or incense at the ancestral shrine. Prayers are also said for spirits who have no families to venerate them. Paper flags may be hung over doorways to keep out the hungry ghosts.

ghost,  battle
Section from a 19th century Chinese Hell Scroll showing the ghost of Yue Fei accusing the traitor Qin Hua in the sixth and seventh court of hell. Available under a Creative Commons License

Dates : Wed Aug 30 2023  Sun Aug 18 2024  Sat Sep 6 2025  

Thursday 22nd August 2024 - End of heat (Chǔshǔ 处暑) [Jieqi fortnight]
Saturday 7th September 2024 - White Dew (Báilù 白露) [Jieqi fortnight]

Tuesday 10th September 2024

Teachers day (Jiào shī jié )

Teachers have their own special day when students show respect and give them presents. It is not a public holiday and is held on 10th September each year. It is not entirely clear why this date was chosen, but it is usually near the start of the new school year after the summer holidays.

Tuesday 17th September 2024

Mid Autumn Festival (Zhōngqiūjié )

Mid autumn festival, cartoon, moon, Chang'E
Mid Autumn Festival

The Autumn Moon Festival takes place at full moon in the 8th lunar month (15th day), it marks the end of harvest. Lanterns are lit and round moon cakes are cooked and consumed in large numbers - these are usually filled with soybean paste, lotus seeds and egg yolk and covered in pastry. As there is a tradition that a rabbit lived on the moon, rabbits or hares are a popular image. Another tradition is to layout peaches, melon or grapes in a circle of thirteen as there are 13 lunar months in a year. It was also one of the few days of financial settlement in a year - debts were paid off and accounts settled. Ancient pagodas were decorated with lanterns to shine out at night. It celebrates Chang'e, the goddess of the moon, and particularly her romance with the archer god Houyi. Traditionally, spirits of the dead came forth to feast on the fruits of summer harvest. People would climb hills and mountains to watch the rising of the full moon with the greeting Kàn yuè liang ‘Look at the bright moon!’

Moon festival, food, cake
Moon cake for the Mid Autumn (Moon) Festival

Dates : Fri Sep 29 2023  Tue Sep 17 2024  Mon Oct 6 2025  

Sunday 22nd September 2024 - Autumnal Equinox (Qiūfēn 秋分) [Jieqi fortnight]

Saturday 28th September 2024

Confucius’s Birthday (Modern) (Jì kǒng dà diǎn )

Traditionally the birthday of the great sage and philosopher Confucius was celebrated on the 27th of the 8th lunar month particularly at his birthplace of Qufu in Shandong. It is now tied to a specific day, the 28th September each year.

Tuesday 1st October 2024

National day (Guó qìng jié )

National day marks the founding of the Peoples Republic on 1st October 1949. There are often three days of public holiday in all, shifted to give a continuous five day holiday when combined with a weekend. It is called the ‘Golden Week’ and as the weather is often good many go away for a short holiday.

Tuesday 8th October 2024 - Cold Dew (Hánlù 寒露) [Jieqi fortnight]

Friday 11th October 2024

Chong Yang Festival (Zhòngyángjié )

On the 9th day of the 9th month people used to take to high ground and fly all sorts of kites as a way of appeasing the spirits. If a mountain or hill is not to hand a tall building or pagoda would be climbed. It follows the legend of Huan Jing of the Han dynasty, who was told by the gods to move to high ground to escape floods. In Chinese numerology 9 is a strong yang number and is generally inauspicious; so this day had to be treated with respect. Food is laid out to calm the spirits of the ancestors. As chrysanthemums are usually in flower, chrysanthemum wine is often drunk and petals are collected to flavor next year's batch. Because nine jiǔ sounds like forever jiǔ it has now become associated with elderly people and since 1989 has also been celebrated as ‘Seniors Day’.

kite
A Chinese kite in flight above Portsdown Hill, Portsmouth, UK. Image by Tholly available under a Creative Commons license

Dates : Mon Oct 23 2023  Fri Oct 11 2024  Wed Oct 29 2025  

Wednesday 23rd October 2024 - Frost descends (Shuāngjiàng 霜降) [Jieqi fortnight]
Thursday 7th November 2024 - Winter begins (Lìdōng 立冬) [Jieqi fortnight]

Monday 11th November 2024

Singles day (Guāng gùn jié )

A very recent special day, is ‘Single's Day’ when young, single people buy themselves presents. The festival started among men at Nanjing University in the 1990s and has caught on rapidly in cities throughout China and amongst single women too. The choice of date is based around ‘11.11’ having four single ‘ones’ in it, representing two couples. It is now a popular day to declare love and propose marriage. More importantly it has become the world's busiest shopping day (lots online but also in shops), Alibaba heavily promotes it as a special occasion to spend money. It is not a national holiday.

xi'an, xian, shaanxi, street scene, fast food
Street scene, Xi'an. Copyright Richard Wingfield, October 2017.
Friday 22nd November 2024 - Light snow (Xiǎoxuě 小雪) [Jieqi fortnight]
Friday 6th December 2024 - Heavy snow (Dàxuě 大雪) [Jieqi fortnight]

Friday 13th December 2024

Nanjing Massacre memorial day (Nán jīng dà tú shā )

In 2014 a new memorial day was inaugurated to commemorate the many who died when the Japanese invaded Nanjing on this day in 1937. It is not a public holiday.

Saturday 21st December 2024

Winter Solstice (Dōngzhì )

Dongzhi marks the shortest day of the year - the mid Winter solstice (December 22nd or more rarely 21st), and is traditionally a time for eating rice balls or dumplings after offerings have been made to the kitchen god. In deference to the cold conditions the celebrations are held in the home not in out public. This festival like Qingming is tied to the sun rather than the moon.

Dates : Fri Dec 22 2023  Sun Dec 22 2024  Sun Dec 21 2025  

Wednesday 25th December 2024

Christmas day (Shèng dàn lǎo rén )

christmas, panda, santa
Christmas Scenery in China. Available under a Creative Commons License

In recent years the western celebration of Christmas on 25th December has had increasing observance. This is chiefly an excuse to buy presents for children in the cities. Shengdan Laoren is a transliteration of ‘Santa’ as ‘sheng:’ saintly ‘dan:’ birth followed by ‘laoren:’ old man. As Santa is dressed in lucky red this greatly adds to his appeal. To wish someone ‘Merry Christmas’ you can say shèng dàn kuài lè. It is not an official holiday.


The following festivals are all in next year: 2025

Wednesday 1st January 2025

New Years day (Yuán dàn )

When China adopted the western, Gregorian calendar on the founding of the Republic of China in 1912, the ‘western’ beginning of the year January 1st began to be celebrated just like elsewhere in the world. Since 2008 it has become a public holiday lasting 3 days. Sometimes the holiday is shifted to give an extended weekend.

Sunday 5th January 2025 - Moderate cold (Xiǎohán 小寒) [Jieqi fortnight]

Tuesday 7th January 2025

Laba Festival (Làbā jié )

Laba congee is traditionally eaten on the Laba festival. It is held on the 8th day of the twelfth lunar month and is associated with the Buddhist festival marking Buddha's enlightenment. The festival is observed mostly in northern China and not much in the south. It is not a public holiday.

Dates : Thu Jan 18 2024  Tue Jan 7 2025    

Monday 20th January 2025 - Severe cold (Dàhán 大寒) [Jieqi fortnight]

Wednesday 29th January 2025

Chinese New Year - Spring Festival (Chūnjié )

New Year is the main annual festival in China determined by the old Chinese calendar. It falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, so it is held towards the end of January or early February. For at least 2,000 years it has been a time for all families to get together, often traveling long distances. Brightly colored red papers and paper cut designs are displayed everywhere frequently carrying the character ‘fu’ for good fortune. The traditional lion dance is seen in public festivities. The festival lasts a whole week of public holiday (Jan 21st to Jan 27th in 2023) and during this time everyone tries to be on their best behavior to set the tone for the whole year. It is considered not just the start of a new year but everybody's birthday too.

Spring Festival, Shenzhen, market, people, lantern
Buying supplies for the Chinese New Year Festival, Shenzhen Copyright © Dreamstime see image license

There are large firework displays in the cities. The ancestors are given due reverence at the festival. When guests arrive they should bring along food or a gift; these can take the form of packets of ‘lucky paper money’ in red envelopes. Fish and Jiaozi (dumplings) are often eaten, the character for fish yu sounds the same as the character yu meaning ‘surplus; abundance’ so a dish of fish has a lucky connotation. The entrance to a house is often decorated with couplets written in large calligraphy on red paper on either side of the entrance. Traditional fairs are held at temples selling all sorts of small gifts and decorations during the holiday.

Dates : Sat Feb 10 2024  Wed Jan 29 2025  Tue Feb 17 2026  

Monday 3rd February 2025 - Spring begins (Lìchūn 立春) [Jieqi fortnight]

Wednesday 12th February 2025

Lantern Festival (Yuánxiāojié )

The Lantern festival also known as ( Shàng yuán jié) is on the first full moon after the New Year and marks the very end of the Spring Festival. Lanterns are lit and in places very long paper dragons parade the streets. The tradition is that lanterns light the way for the ancestral spirits to go back to their tombs after joining the family for the festivities. Great creativity is used in lantern design, they come in all shapes and sizes (globes, dragons, lamps) and can include moving parts. Before electric light was available this was widely considered the most attractive and brilliant festival of the year. Many lanterns are made of lucky red paper and some lanterns have entertaining riddles painted on them. Tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) or yuanxiao are eaten and fir branches placed above doors. Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a vegetable often eaten at the festival. The traditional lion dance was originally tied to only this festival but now are seen more generally throughout the year. In the countryside it was believed that disease could be banished at this time by a long procession out of the village, with many firecrackers scaring away and taking the illness with it. Children, often in scary masks, used to put on little stage shows and pantomimes.

lantern festival, festival , people, children
Celebrating Lantern Festival, Liuzhou, Guangxi Copyright © Dreamstime see image license

Dates : Sat Feb 24 2024  Wed Feb 12 2025    

Tuesday 18th February 2025 - Spring showers (Yǔshuǐ 雨水) [Jieqi fortnight]

Saturday 1st March 2025

Blue Dragon Festival (Lóng tái tóu )

The double second (2nd day of 2nd lunar month) marks the first tentative signs of Spring. The name ‘Blue Dragon’ reflects the tradition of waking the dragons that control the rains. Longtaitou literally means ‘dragon raise head’. It usually occurs around the time of Jīngzhí in the lichuan calendar which marks the stirring of insects. It was originally the time when fumigation was used to kill off the emerging insects. The festival is now celebrated by cleaning the house, having a haircut, eating popcorn, pancakes and noodles. Zhonghe Festival () is an ancient festival traditionally held on the preceding day (1st of the 2nd lunar month) so nowadays the two are celebrated together. It is not a public holiday.

Dates : Mon Mar 11 2024  Sat Mar 1 2025    

Wednesday 5th March 2025 - Insects waken (Jīngzhí 惊蛰) [Jieqi fortnight]

Saturday 8th March 2025

Women’s day (Guó jì fù nǔ jié )

On the foundation of the People's Republic in 1949 the 8th March was designated Women's Day with a half or full day's holiday for women in China. Originally it was held on the last Saturday in February. In Russia it was moved to Sunday 8th March for 1914 and has kept to this day ever since.

Tuesday 11th March 2025

Flower Festival (Huā zhāo jié )

The traditional Flower Festival is held on the twelfth day of the second lunar month. The great Tang Empress Wu Zetian is associated with this minor festival which celebrates the birthday of the god of flowers. It roughly marks the time of the first flowers of Spring. It is also a good day to plant up the garden ready for summer.

Wednesday 12th March 2025

Arbor or Tree planting day (Zhí shù jié )

To make up for widespread deforestation over many centuries, on 12th March people are encouraged to go out to plant trees. Trees help stabilize the soil and reduce flooding as well as being an uplifting sight. It is not a holiday and was instituted as late as 1981.

Jilin, Changbai, tree
Forest in the Changbai Mountains, Jilin

Tuesday 18th March 2025

Birthday of Guanyin (Guàn yīn dàn )

Hainan, Guanyin, Sanya, deity
Statue of Guanyin (Guanshiyin or Avalokitesvara), Goddess of Mercy, Sanya, Hainan

The most revered of Buddhist Bodhisattvas is Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy who intercedes on behalf of any who pray to her. Her birthday is traditionally marked by a minor festival on the 19th of the second lunar month. One of the holiest places sacred to her is on Putuo Island, Zhejiang where there is a huge statue looking out East over the ocean.

Thursday 20th March 2025 - Vernal Equinox (Chūnfēn 春分) [Jieqi fortnight]

Monday 31st March 2025

Shangsi Festival (Shàngsìjié )

Celebrated on the 3rd day of the 3rd Lunar month, Shangsi was traditionally a day for cleaning the house and going away on an outing. It is not an official holiday in China. The festival marks the birthday of the Queen Mother of the West (Xi Wangmu), a leading Daoist deity and the festival is also known as the Banquet of Peaches of Immortality. The day is associated with many folk beliefs concerning the opening of portals between the living and the dead. The founding Yellow Emperor is also believed to have had his birthday on this day. Sticky rice cakes called baba 粑粑 are sometimes eaten.

Dates : Thu Apr 11 2024  Mon Mar 31 2025    

See also